Alternate Loyalties Redux
by flamebrain
Summary: What if Alternate Loyalties had gone a little differently? IW pairing


Title: Alternate Loyalties Redux  
  
Author: flamebrain  
  
Spoilers: Alternate Loyalties, plus other epis that I don't know the names of.  
  
Disclaimer: Babylon 5 and all its characters and stories are owned by JMS, Sci-Fi, and whomever else has rights to them. I'm making no profit from this.  
  
Notes: To the usual suspects.  
  
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Susan Ivanova sank into her couch, grimacing slightly at the burn of vodka as it slid down her throat. She was still in shock over the day's events. The station's resident telepath, a woman she had considered a friend, had been a spy, albeit an unknowing one. Susan had gone to visit her before she departed and couldn't believe the cruel words that mocked her from her friend's face.  
  
Susan felt she ought to hate the woman who had activated the alternate personality, but she couldn't. The memory of those intense blue eyes and the gentle mind probe warmed her to her core. She barked a short laugh at the remembrance of the surprise the telepath had displayed when she was blocked. The point had quickly proven moot as the station's resident telepath had entered and the password had been sent, revealing the heretofore hidden personality, destroying her friend in the process.  
  
Susan's morose thoughts were interrupted by her door chime. "Enter," she called automatically.  
  
The doors opened to reveal the face of the rogue telepath who had shattered her friend but dominated her thoughts. "Ms. Winters," she greeted evenly, eyes tracing from the blond, shoulder-length hair down the shapely body, curved in all the right places.  
  
"Commander Ivanova," the rogue greeted her in a husky voice that sent shivers down her spine. "Call me Talia."  
  
"Then call me Susan," Susan returned automatically. She ignored her mental voice yelling to keep away from this telepath. She was a rogue; it wasn't like she could turn Susan in to Psi-Corps. Besides, Susan had been friends with Lyta, and that hadn't killed her. Neither Lyta nor the AP had been close enough to know that Susan was a latent telepath. Though on her best day, Lyta had never affected Susan like this.  
  
"Susan," Talia repeated with a smile. "You came to Babylon 5 after I left."  
  
"We just missed each other," Susan agreed. She leaned forward, drawn to this woman against her will. "Is it true you saw Kosh?" she asked eagerly.  
  
"Ben and I both did. Earth called us home because they wanted to interrogate us about the Vorlons," Talia replied bitterly. "We were together for awhile, but I lost track of him when Bester took me away."  
  
Susan nodded sympathetically. "What are your plans now?"  
  
"I don't really know. I wish I could stay here, but it's not safe right now," Talia said wistfully. "Clark and Psi-Corps will both be after me. I hope that one day I'll be able to come back. I may try to get into Vorlon space."  
  
"No one comes back from there." Susan was aghast – both at the sheer suicidal nature of Talia's plan, and that her own heart was aching at the thought of the lovely telepath's imminent departure.  
  
"But I need to learn. I figure they'll take me in before I run out of air," Talia joked weakly. Before Susan could respond, Talia said teasingly, "My dear Commander, you keep distracting me from the purpose of my visit."  
  
Susan felt a flicker of fear at Talia's statement, but carefully schooled her expression so as not to reveal her thoughts.  
  
"I really came by to see how you were. By all accounts, you and Lyta were close, though your hatred of Psi-Corps is well documented. Everyone figures she must have been pretty special to break through your barriers."  
  
Susan sighed in relief. The question she had been dreading had not come. "Lyta and I appreciated each other. She had to report to me on my first day. I was unbearably rude to her. She approached me in the casino that night, I told her why I hate Psi-Corps, and she told me to get the hell over it." Susan smiled at the memory. Lyta's words had cut to the quick at the time and had not been nearly so mild, but her brusque, matter-of- fact attitude, so similar to Susan's, had helped them to grow as close as two emotionally walled off people could. "She told me what happened wasn't her fault; she was just a child at the time herself. She said if I judged every person I met on the basis of their jobs, she pitied me for all the wonderful people I might lose out on knowing. Then she walked off, leaving me spitting mad and feeling like a fool. We bonded."  
  
Talia laughed. "I can see that." She reached out and covered Susan's hand with her own. "I know we've just met, and I wish I could stay to get to know you, but it's not safe right now. I just wanted you to know I trust you and you, in turn, can trust me."  
  
"I know," Susan replied simply, ignoring her mental voice telling her to keep her mouth shut.  
  
"I want to warn you and Sheridan to keep an eye on Earth. Clark engineered Santiago's death. He's power hungry and dangerous. Psi-Corps is behind the scenes. And there's something else, something evil. Susan, be careful."  
  
Susan nodded mutely.  
  
Talia squeezed her hand. "I have to go soon."  
  
"I know."  
  
Talia tugged on Susan's hand, coaxing her closer. Her free hand drifted up to brush a lock of chestnut hair away from Susan's face. "You're a beautiful woman," she commented.  
  
Susan swallowed thickly. Talia's touch was giving her goose bumps. She shook her head in denial. "You are."  
  
Talia blushed. "Thank you. But you are as well. You should learn to take a compliment." She grinned and lowered her voice to murmur, "I'm going to kiss you now unless you stop me."  
  
Susan could only stare, mesmerized, as Talia's face drew near. Warm lips covering her own shocked her out of her daze. Her mouth opened under the telepath's insistent tongue.  
  
Talia finally pulled away. "I have to go," she said regretfully, long fingers stroking Susan's cheek.  
  
Susan loosened her arms from around Talia's waist, where they had automatically twined when Talia kissed her. "I know." She stood and pulled Talia to her feet, tangling their fingers together. She kissed her lightly. "Make sure you come back."  
  
"I promise. And maybe . . . we can get to know each other," Talia finished hopefully.  
  
"I look forward to it." Susan nipped at Talia's full lower lip.  
  
Talia shivered. "Bye." She slowly backed toward the door. Just before she disappeared into the corridor, she called, "Susan."  
  
When Susan met her gaze, she winked and tapped her temple with her index finger. "I won't tell anyone."  
  
Susan's jaw dropped as the doors closed. She sank onto the couch, a small smile playing on her lips. That minx! She couldn't wait for Talia to return. She definitely wanted to get to know her better. 


End file.
